She credited the legendary British band for inspiring her to pursue a music career.
The Beatles enormously influenced the music industry, and musicians of all ages can still feel their impact. Like one of the most well-known and significant figures in modern music, Billie Eilish, the iconic band has a particular place in her heart.
In a recent interview with Variety, Eilish stated that “95%” of her love of music comes from the Beatles. Since she was a small child, Eilish has been involved in music, and her mother, Maggie Baird, who is also an actor and musician, has encouraged her love of songwriting.
Eilish and her brother Finneas enrolled in Baird’s songwriting course when they were barely 12 years old. Their mother then used The Beatles’ ageless melodies in these lessons to break down the elements of a song. Reflecting on those early days, Baird shared, “I always say it was actually the Beatles who taught them to write songs.”
“Because the class was for kids, I had to simplify it: ‘Here’s ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand,” let’s give these pieces of the song a name.’ The class was just an hour a week for 10 weeks or so — but Finneas was like [mimes ‘Eureka!’ moment], and in a few months, he formed a band. All I had to teach him was the basics, and he immediately got it — and the same with Billie,” she added.
It is evident that The Beatles had a significant influence on Eilish’s creative process. Listeners worldwide are drawn to her distinctive synthesis of eerie melodies, reflective lyrics, and genre-defying soundscapes.
The popularity of her follow-up album, “Happier Than Ever,” and her headlining appearance at the renowned Glastonbury Festival in 2022 with Sir Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar only serve to further cement her ascent to superstardom.
Eilish, who grew up listening to a lot of Beatles music, revealed her shock at having to perform on the same festival stage as the legendary McCartney. In an interview with NME, she said, “My name next to theirs, and being on the same level as them… it’s bonkers.”
“I remember Kendrick headlined a festival I went to when I was 14, and I couldn’t believe he was headlining this small festival because he was so huge,” she continued. “And now I’m headlining the same festival as him and Paul McCartney… are you kidding me? The Beatles were what raised me. My love for music I feel 95 percent owes to the Beatles and Paul. It’s insane to think about.”
While Eilish’s top-charting singles like “Bad Guy,” “Therefore I Am,” and “Lost Cause” has propelled her to international prominence, the classics have always been a significant part of her musical career. She recently co-wrote the title song with her brother Finneas for the James Bond film “No Time to Die,” a feat also accomplished by McCartney, who in 1973 came up with the enduring “Live and Let Die” theme.
In a Vanity Fair interview, Eilish was asked about her favorite Beatles songs, and she responded with a selection of tunes, demonstrating her deep association with the group. “I love ‘Something.’ I love ‘Julia,’ ‘I love ‘You Never Give Me Your Money.’ I love ‘Anna (Go to Him).’ I love ‘Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.’ Gosh, I could go on and on. I love The Beatles,” she gushed.